Taking Chances
by TammyDevil666
Summary: Sookie is a young nurse, who has given up on love after her last relationship fell apart. She takes a chance on Eric Northman, a wealthy businessman, who comes to the hospital with an injured friend. Deciding to let him in gets her more than expected.
1. Chapter 1

**I hope you guys like this little fiction. I'm sorry that I couldn't give you really long chapters, but if it helps I tend to be a pretty fast updater, that is if anyone is interested. A big thanks to easy_to_corrupt for her help and read through of the story. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint, and I would love to know what you guys think. Any and all comments are appreciated!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"I'm so glad you're here. I need a huge favor."

Sookie Stackhouse glared at her friend, nothing good ever followed that. "What is it this time, Amelia?"

"I need a break, or I'll go insane. Could you please take over my shift? I have the worst damn patient waiting on me. She only has a twisted ankle, but she acts like it's the end of the world or something. Chick is hot as hell, but I'm starting to think murderous thoughts, which goes against all of my training. I'm afraid of what I might do if I don't get some air," the brunette finished in a rush.

"Fine, but this is the last time," Sookie replied.

Amelia gave her a quick hug. "You're the best, Sook; I owe you a lot for this."

She watched her run off, not even bothering to wait for a response. Sookie shook her head in amusement; it must be pretty bad for Amelia to run scared like that. The girl was usually not afraid of anything.

"Lord, where's the morphine when you need it?"

Sookie laughed. "You, too, Lafayette? She can't be that bad."

He gave her a pointed look. "Enter at your own risk, girl, but beware of the pure evil lurking in that room. That's one crazy ass bitch."

This was getting ridiculous now. How bad could one patient be? Sookie had been a nurse at Merlotte's hospital for almost five years now. She had seen some pretty scary things, but no one could be as bad as they were making this person out to be. Before she entered the dreaded room, she overheard a woman screeching, walking in to see a poor orderly moving away from her as if burned, scared out of his mind.

"Get your filthy hands away from my ankle! Can't you see I'm in pain here?"

He scurried out of the room, like he couldn't get away fast enough.

Sookie cleared her throat. "What seems to be the problem here?" she asked the woman, seeming to just take notice of the large man standing against the back wall. Her jaw nearly dropped at the sight of him. He was big, very well muscled, with long, blond hair that was tied back in a ponytail. The phrase Greek God actually passed through her mind, but she focused back on her patient, who graced her with a scowl.

"Oh, look, another pretty nurse. I guess the last one couldn't take the heat."

Sookie matched the woman's scowl with one of her own. "She's taking a break right now. I've checked your chart and everything seems to be fine. Your ankle isn't broken, it's just a sprain, and you should be able to leave soon. The doctor wants to check you over one last time first. There's no reason to be so rude to everyone, your injury isn't fatal."

The man chuckled, turning to the irritated woman at his side. "I told you, Pam, those pumps would soon be the death of you."

She rolled her eyes. "You're fucking hilarious, Northman. I can't believe you brought me here in the first place."

He shrugged. "I was just looking out for your best interests. You did trip in the middle of my bar."

"Please, Eric, you just don't want a lawsuit," she retorted.

"Okay, I'll just be going now. My name is Sookie Stackhouse, if you need me for anything. Don't give my staff anymore trouble, you hear me? They're hard working people, and I'm not against getting forceful if I have to," with that said, Sookie took her leave.

Pam grinned in admiration. "I like her."

Eric Northman stared after her retreating back, a slow smile forming on his face. "You're not the only one."

* * *

She heard someone yelling for her, stopping to see the tall man chasing after her, wondering what he could possibly want.

"Is everything all right?"

He nodded, taking in a breath. "I just wanted to apologize for my friend's rude behavior. Nearly thirty years of age, and she still hasn't grasped the concept of tact."

Sookie smiled. "That's okay, I've seen worse." She could tell that he seemed nervous, which was not something she would have expected from a man who looked like him. "Was there something else you wanted?"

Eric rolled his eyes at himself, deciding to just get it over with. "I don't normally do this. After all, we just met, but would you like to possibly go out some time?"

Sookie raised her eyebrows, that being the last thing she expected to hear. "I'm flattered, but I don't know if that would be the best idea. I don't really do the whole dating thing. It's just been a long time for me; right now I'm more about focusing on my job. I have a pretty hectic schedule, and it seems like you might as well."

He shook his head. "I own a bar; it's nothing that needs my absolute attention. I have other people around who do most of the hard work. I'm just more of a supervisor, but I understand where you're coming from. If you have a minute to spare, don't hesitate to call me." Eric handed her a business card, with his name and phone number.

"Valhalla?" Sookie commented, her eyes widening. "I've heard of that place, didn't a fight break out there last month? I remember, two people were severely injured and brought here. They were lucky to even be alive."

"Yes, but the brawl was a complete misunderstanding. It was taken care of, and the ones responsible are not allowed entry ever again. I take very good care of my customers, Miss Stackhouse. There is a rare occasion where something like that might happen, but I guarantee it doesn't often. If you wanted to stop by after work one of these days, I promise you would be perfectly safe."

Sookie thought about it, giving him a smile. He seemed very determined to prove that he was worthy of dating her. "I'll keep that in mind, but I really should be getting back to work now."

He took her hand in his, placing a kiss to the back of it. "I shall let you do that, but I must ask for something in return."

She felt shivers up and down her spine from the feel of his warm lips on her skin, trying to focus on what he said. "What would that be?"

Eric stepped closer to her, breathing in her scent. "Painkillers? Something that would knock Pam out for at least an hour or so, she's going to drive me crazy once we leave here."

Sookie couldn't help the laughter that burst forth. Of all the things she imagined him asking her, that was definitely not on the list. "I'll get the doctor to prescribe something for her. Is that all you wanted?"

He grinned, moving over to her ear. "For now," Eric whispered, and with a swagger to his step, made his way back down the hall.

Sookie knew she was in trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Holy fuck, Sook! That man is sex on legs, and he asked you out?"

She blushed under Lafayette's stare. "Is that really so hard to believe?"

"It would be if you actually said yes," Amelia chimed in. "You haven't dated anyone since douche bag Bill screwed you over."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the reminder, but that was two years ago. I think it was about time I moved on. This Eric guy seems nice and all, but I don't know if I can trust him. Like you said, he's sex on legs. He seems like he's more for playing the field, and that's just not my style."

Amelia nodded. "Especially with the hot bitch he had with him. Crazy as she may be, I refuse to believe he's not hitting that." Her eyes widened, giving the blonde an apologetic expression. "Sorry, Sook, I didn't mean anything by it. We're just looking out for you; it took you forever to finally get over Bill. You deserve a good man."

Lafayette silently agreed.

"Thanks for the concern, but I can take care of myself." She left the cafeteria then, not looking back once.

* * *

Sookie didn't know why she was here. She tended to avoid places like this, but was curious enough to check it out. It was definitely not like the bars she was used to. There were half naked women and men everywhere, poles were attached to the bar as if it was partly a strip club. All Sookie knew was that she felt very uncomfortable there. It had been almost three weeks since she talked with Eric at the hospital, and she hadn't heard anything from him since, not that she really expected to. He told her to call, not the other way around.

"Well, if it isn't my pretty little nurse."

She turned around at the voice to see Pam standing there, looking her up and down. Sookie suddenly felt very naked under her gaze.

"I suppose you're not here to check up on me. Have to admit, never did I think a sweet girl like you would be caught dead in this place, but that probably has something to do with the dick in charge," Pam finished teasingly.

Sookie was at a loss for words, speaking up after what felt like forever. "I just wanted to see what all the hype was about. I've heard a lot about this place, but I'm glad to see that your ankle is doing better."

Pam waved a dismissive hand in the air. "As good as new, those painkillers did wonders, but I know you're here for Eric. Follow me," she said with a grin, walking further into the bar.

Sookie took a deep breath, and then did as she instructed. This was not a woman she wanted on her bad side.

Pam led Sookie to a back office, motioning for her to go in, and then took off in the opposite direction.

Her parents died when she was real young, but her grandmother raised her right, and there was no way she could walk into a room without knocking first, so she did just that.

"Enter," a voice called from inside.

Inhaling another breath of air, she turned the knob and pushed the door open, noticing that Eric was perched behind a large desk, typing away on his computer. Reading glasses were resting on his face, which she found to be incredibly sexy. His hair was down this time, flowing around his shoulders like a beautiful, golden mane. He was wearing a black tank top, showing off his muscular arms. Her mouth was unexpectedly very dry.

"Since when do you knock, Pam?" Eric said, glancing up to see that it wasn't the blonde he expected. "Sookie? This is quite a surprise. Please, come in."

She did as he said, closing the door behind her and taking a seat in the only available chair.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he wondered, removing his spectacles.

Sookie pouted at the loss, but got right to the point before she lost her nerve. "I'm sorry to just show up like this. I would have called, but I guess I'm more about doing things in person. If you were still up for that date, I would love to go out with you."

Eric flashed her a charming smile. "Oh, I'm definitely up for it. How does this Saturday sound?"

Sookie nodded, giving him a nervous look. "I just need to know one thing first. You and Pam, are you two together by any chance? Because if you are, I'm not into that, just letting you know now."

He laughed, shaking his head. "I assure you, we are not together, nor have we ever been. She is just a business associate. We would most likely end up killing each other if that were to happen, and I'm not exactly her type."

Sookie was confused, but didn't have to wait long for a clarification.

"Pam is only interested in women; I have nothing to offer her."

She blushed at her mistake, now it made more sense. It looked like Pam wanted to eat her out there, and that thought made her blush even more. "I'm sorry, my friends at the hospital indicated that something might be going on between you two. I just wanted to know what I was getting myself into. I don't trust easily, at least not anymore," Sookie explained, surprised that she revealed that much, but there was no going back now.

Eric could sense that from their first meeting, and he had a feeling it had something to do with a former man in her life. Well, he would just have to rectify that. He was willing to do whatever he could to gain this woman's trust. Eric couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he knew there was something special about Sookie Stackhouse, and was very determined to find out everything he could about her.

* * *

The noise engulfed Sookie when she headed back to the front of the bar, already missing Eric's quiet office. If she didn't know any better, she would think it was sound proof or something.

"Hit me with another one, Quinn!" Pam yelled over the loud music, as the bartender gave her a shot of Tequila, which she immediately chugged down.

Sookie shook her head in amusement, crossing her arms. "Does Eric usually let you drink on the job?"

Pam rolled her eyes, throwing back another shot. "We're partners, he's not my boss. I can do whatever the fuck I please. Besides, Eric knows how I sometimes need liquid courage to get through this crowd. It's a busy night." She slammed the shot glass down, wiping her mouth before turning to Sookie, a grin firmly in place. "It's a good thing you finally showed up, little nurse. Eric has been a whiny bitch ever since we left that hospital, wondering if you would call, or if he should fake an injury just so he would have an excuse to see you again. How you managed to get him pussy whipped so fast is beyond me, he was like a fucking teenage girl. It made me want to vomit, but you're here now. I just hope you can handle him."

Sookie knew the other woman was trying to intimidate her, but she wasn't about to back down from a challenge. "Oh, I think I can handle him just fine."

Pam graced her with a chilling smile. "I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of you, then."

Sookie figured that was the best approval she was going to get. And with her head held high, she left the bar; taking in a deep breath once the fresh air hit her. A smile graced her features. She had a date to prepare for.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"This is the last place I would have expected you to take me on our date."

He grinned. "And why is that?"

Sookie shrugged. "I don't know. You show up at my apartment in a red corvette, and then we end up at the carnival. I was thinking you were taking me to some expensive restaurant, but you told me to dress casually, so I guess I should have figured it was something else."

Eric looked nervous, glancing around at their surroundings. "I could take you elsewhere if you like. This was just something fun that I thought we could do together, but if you don't have your heart set on it…"

She held her hand up, effectively cutting him off. "This is actually perfect. My parents used to bring me every year as a kid, I haven't let myself come back in a while, but I think it was about time I did. I'm a pretty simple person, not really one for fancy places."

He sighed in relief, leading her through the entrance of the carnival. Normally, he would take a woman somewhere expensive, but he didn't think Sookie was the type, and he was glad to be right.

They spent all day riding the rides, and pigging out on various junk foods.

This was the first time in practically forever that Eric had been to a carnival, and he forgot just how exhausting they were, but he was having more fun than he could ever remember. He smiled when they came across the Ferris wheel, leading her over to the contraption. His smile faded when he saw the sudden frown on her face. "Are you all right? Do you feel sick?" he wondered, concern lacing his tone. She had just finished eating two corn dogs, three slices of pizza, some cotton candy, and a caramel apple. His stomach could handle that, but he wasn't so sure of hers.

Sookie shook her head. "No, but I might if I go on that."

Eric was confused; this was by far the tamest thing in the whole place. He didn't understand why she would be afraid of it, and then it came to him. "You're scared of heights." It wasn't a question.

"I am not," she retorted, noticing that he didn't seem to buy it. "Okay, maybe I am a little. My dad always tried to get me on it, but I would never budge. Plummeting to my death is not my idea of fun, and I just don't trust those things. They look unstable."

He laughed; she was just too adorable for words.

Sookie glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Does my fear of death amuse you?"

"Of course not," he responded, calming down after a moment. "You don't have to worry about that. They're much more stable than you think. I promise, Sookie, I will not let you fall. I hear it's very romantic once you reach the top, you can see the entire town from up there. It's freeing, peaceful, and I think it was about time you faced that fear, don't you?"

She hated that he was right, but Sookie was no longer a child. It was ridiculous for a grown woman to be scared of a Ferris wheel. With that thought in mind, she grabbed his hand and pulled him over to one of the empty seats. It was big enough to fit three people, but with Eric, it was still a pretty tight squeeze. Sookie took a deep breath once the ride started up, not letting it out until they reached the very top, and panicking when it abruptly stopped. "What's going on? Why aren't we moving anymore?"

Eric rubbed her back, trying to sooth her nerves. "It's perfectly safe, dear one. They are just letting other riders on. Relax, it'll be over soon."

Sookie did just that, taking in another deep breath, turning to catch his intense stare. They were sitting very close together, Eric with his arm nestled around her. She leaned in, just as the Ferris wheel came back to life, causing her to jerk away from him. Her cheeks heated up, and she wished more than anything that they were back on the ground.

He took her hand in his, giving it a light clutch. "There will be plenty more opportunities," Eric whispered to her. "This will be the first of many dates; you have my word on that."

Sookie smiled, relieved that he wanted to go out with her again.

* * *

"Are you feeling better now?"

Sookie groaned, burying her head against his chest. "God, that was so embarrassing. How many people just saw me throw up?"

He smiled. "I doubt anyone was paying attention. This is a carnival; I would imagine you are not the only person that has happened to."

"I guess I shouldn't have had that last slice of pizza before going on the rollercoaster. I thought I could handle it; my stomach was a lot stronger as a kid. You must think I'm a total loser."

Eric shook his head. "Quite the opposite, you just wait here. I'll bring you some water."

Sookie watched him walk away, taking in slow breaths, and hoping to not have a repeat performance. She smiled when he came back over to her, taking the bottle of water from him.

Eric sat down next to her, rubbing her back. "I think you've had enough excitement for one day."

She nodded, turning to look at him. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "You are not getting rid of me that easily, Stackhouse."

Sookie was relieved for that, resting her head on his shoulder. She could definitely get used to this, and that thought had her terrified.

* * *

Eric dropped her off at home, with a quick kiss to her cheek and another promise that they would be seeing each other again, then speeding away in his corvette.

Sookie watched until she couldn't see him anymore, making her way inside her empty apartment. Amelia wanted her to call with details the minute she got in, no matter what time, but she was too tired for that. Sookie would just have to tell her friend about it tomorrow, right now she wanted a hot shower and to climb into bed. Everything else could wait for another day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"So, tell me about this former man in your life? We have been seeing each other for nearly a month now, and I don't know anything about him."

Sookie shrugged, suddenly finding the floor to be very fascinating. They were currently sitting in his living room, enjoying some Chinese food and a movie, which she realized was now on pause. "There's nothing much to tell. We used to work together at the hospital, dated for over a year, I found him cheating on me, end of story." She finally glanced back up, caught in his concerned gaze and knowing he would need more than that.

"We were engaged," Sookie responded quietly, deciding it was about time to get things off her chest. "I loved him, and I thought he loved me. We met when I was just an intern, he was one of the nurses, but he was going to medical school to become a doctor. When he asked me to marry him, I was completely caught off guard. With how hectic his life was, I didn't think he would ever be able to fully commit to me, but he said he was ready. Bill wanted to be a doctor, but he also wanted me to share everything with. He always said how he needed a good woman in his life, and I was so blinded by love that I said yes to his proposal. No matter how much my friends tried to talk me out of it, they were always on my case about us rushing things, but I wouldn't listen. We were engaged for three months when I caught Bill with another woman, Lorena, an old girlfriend that suddenly popped back into his life. According to Bill, she's the one who got away. He never thought he would see her again, and when she showed up wanting a second chance, he didn't hesitate to give it to her." She took in a deep breath, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders.

"It's all fuzzy now, but I can vaguely remember throwing his ring back at him, and getting the hell out of there. He transferred to another hospital a little while after that, and I never heard from him again. That was two years ago, I haven't really been involved with anyone since. I put a lot of trust in Bill, and after he betrayed me, I just don't think I can go through that again. That's why I was so hesitant to accept your offer at first. You seem the type to have lots of women after you."

Eric took her hand in his, not expecting for her to share so much, but really glad that she did. This Bill was a complete fool to let a woman like her go. "I do, but they're nothing but trashy harlots, not the kind of people I want to associate with. I have to play nice at Valhalla, a crabby host is bad for business, but I have never once taken up with any of those women. I must admit, I've had a few one night stands in my time, and only ever two relationships that have lasted more than a year, but I'm tired of it. I'm thirty-five, it was about time I settled down and thought more about my future. I'm not trying to rush you into anything, I understand that we haven't known each other very long, but I want you to know what my intentions are. You've come to mean a great deal to me, Sookie. I would never do anything to hurt you."

Sookie didn't know why, but she believed him. She'd been around enough liars in her lifetime to know when someone wasn't being sincere with her, and Eric Northman was definitely telling the truth. They've been together for a few weeks now, and he never pressured her to do anything that she didn't want to do. "Thank you for being honest with me."

He smiled, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "Shall we continue with the movie?"

She smiled as well, leaning back against his chest and taking pleasure in what was left of their evening.

* * *

Sookie knew he had to get back out there. It was a busy Saturday night at Valhalla, but she couldn't seem to budge. She was sitting in Eric's lap as he trailed smooth lips down her throat, and then back to her mouth, slowly pushing his tongue inside to be met with hers. His grip on her tightened, and it made her feel incredibly safe, but all good things must come to an end at some point. The door to his office burst open, an agitated Pam now standing there.

"I'm all for having a quickie when you're on break, but this is not the time for that. The place is crowded, Eric, people are demanding your attention."

He pulled his lips away from Sookie's, gracing Pam with a scowl. "They can wait five more minutes."

She shook her head. "Victor's here, and he won't wait any longer. He's in one of his moods again, and the amount of alcohol he's consumed is making him even less pleasant to be around than usual."

"Fuck," Eric cursed, gently moving Sookie off of his lap. "Why didn't you tell me that sooner?"

Pam rolled her eyes. "You were a bit preoccupied."

Eric glared at her, turning a softer gaze on his girlfriend. "I'm sorry, dear one, but I must take care of this. Victor is an old adversary of mine, and whenever he's around, let's just say that trouble tends to not be far behind."

She nodded, not liking the sound of this guy. "That's okay; I should be getting home. I have an early day tomorrow."

He kissed her one last time, leading her out of his office and to the front of the bar, but a booming voice stopped him.

"Northman, you fucking bastard, took you long enough to show up."

Eric clenched his fists, turning to address the thorn at his side. "Madden, I wasn't expecting you tonight."

"I can see that," Victor claimed, perusing Sookie's body. "And who is this delectable creature? You been keeping her all to yourself back there? How is that fair? Didn't your mother teach you about sharing?"

Eric gave him a look that could kill, but was shoved aside before he could retaliate.

"I'm Sookie Stackhouse, it's nice to meet you," she said, her Southern charm shining through.

Victor licked his lips. "Well, aren't you sweet? You got dibs on this one, Northman, or can anyone have her? I bet she's quite a screamer, it's always the good girls you need to look out for."

"You better watch yourself, mister. I don't take kindly to your implications."

Victor laughed. "Oh, you are fun."

Eric pulled her away and showed her to the door, before she could say anything else. "I will call you later, love. Drive safely home, all right?"

She nodded, glaring at the man behind him, who was still giving her creepy looks. "I don't like him, Eric."

He smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "You're not alone in that." Eric watched as she got in her car and drove off, then reluctantly turned back around to deal with Victor Madden.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"How's it going with tall, blond, and sexy?"

Sookie blushed under her friend's stare. "Things are good."

Amelia nodded, a smirk forming on her face. "I bet it's way better than good. Tell me the truth, Sook. He's a Viking in the sack, isn't he?"

She made the mistake of choosing that moment to take a sip of her soda, which soon found its way all over Amelia's shirt.

The brunette screeched and jumped up. "Shit, you could have at least warned me. I only asked a simple question."

"A simple question?" Sookie claimed once she stopped choking. "That is so completely not your business. Why does your mind always have to go there?"

Amelia shrugged, deciding to ignore her last statement. "You haven't even slept with him yet, have you? It's been two months, what the hell are you waiting for? How could anyone be dating that stallion and not fuck his brains out every night? That makes no sense to me."

She stood up, her cheeks bright red now. "This conversation is over."

Amelia chased her out of the cafeteria. "I'm sorry, Sookie, I'm just trying to understand."

"There's nothing to understand, okay? I'm not like you, Amelia. I don't sleep with guys on the first date. We're still just getting to know each other."

Amelia was taken aback, a hint of anger now lacing her features. "Well, maybe that's your problem. You got to know Bill enough to get engaged, and look where that got you. Maybe if you fucked him on the first date, you would have realized he was a total loser and saved yourself a lot of heartache."

Sookie was stunned, tears clouding her vision. "That was uncalled for," she responded quietly.

"And you basically called me a slut; I would say we were even. I don't want to fight; I'm just worried about you. All jokes aside, I think you're starting to get too attached to this guy. How do you know that you can really trust him?"

Sookie thought about it for a second, giving her friend a look. "I just do."

* * *

"Rough day?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "No more than usual, Sam. I'm tired of getting treated like an invalid because of how things went with Bill. I'm a grown woman, more than capable of taking care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time. I'm not about to make the same mistake twice."

Sam Merlotte nodded. "Just be careful, that's all I ask. Amelia can be a complete bitch, but she means well. We all would hate to see you get hurt again."

Sookie agreed, that being the last thing she wanted. Sam was a dear friend of hers, the head doctor at the hospital, taking up where his dad left off after he passed years ago. To put things simply, the man was a miracle worker. There was so much that Sookie admired about him, and she knew he used to have a crush on her. They both held an attraction to the other, and decided to see if it could lead to anything. They went out once, he was the first person she dated after everything with Bill, but Sookie realized that she just wasn't ready at the time. Not only that, but they both felt incredibly awkward afterwards and decided they were better off as friends.

She understood their concerns, these people were practically family. After her grandmother passed, and her brother moved to God knows where, she hadn't even seen him in over a year; they were all she had left. Add Eric to the mix, a gorgeous, sophisticated, bar owner, and she could definitely understand their concerns, but this was her life. For the first time since Bill's betrayal, Sookie was finally living again, and no one could take that from her.

* * *

"Are we gonna talk about what happened at the bar, or are you just going to keep ignoring it?"

He let out a sigh, hoping it wouldn't come to this. "What do you want to know?"

"Who was that jerk, Eric?" Sookie got right to the point, wanting some answers. "I can't believe you would let him come to your business and talk to you like that. Hell, talk to me like that, he was completely out of line and you did nothing to stop him."

"Oh, I did, I just didn't want to cause a scene. I sent everyone home first, and then I had a private conversation with Victor. Valhalla already has a bad reputation after the previous brawl; I didn't want to make things worse. Victor wasn't worth it."

Sookie sat down on his couch, taking it all in. "Okay, so what did you talk about?"

Eric sat beside her, running his fingers through his hair. "Not much talking was had, I'm afraid."

Sookie was confused, until she noticed his bruised knuckles. "You hit him?"

"The fact he was drunk is the only thing that stopped me from killing him. I hit him once for what he said to you, and told him to never return. I doubt he would listen, though. Victor is as stubborn as they come."

She grasped his hand in hers, giving it a light squeeze. "How do you even know that guy?"

Eric took a deep breath, squeezing her hand in return before letting it go. "He thinks I was given everything I have without even working for it. To make a long story short, he's jealous of my accomplishments and wants to put me out of business. He didn't start that bar fight, but there's no doubt in my mind that he hired the man who did."

Sookie shook her head. "That's ridiculous, why would he go through the trouble?"

"Victor wants Valhalla, he's already offered me great sums of money if I would sell it to him, but I always refuse. He thinks he needs to resort to drastic measures in order for me to give in, but I'm not about to let that happen. This goes back a long time, Sookie, it isn't only about that. As most things go, it first started with a woman. Felicia, she was Victor's love, but she didn't want him. He had this unhealthy obsession with her, and when she chose me, he couldn't stand it. Before everything happened with her, you could say we were somewhat acquaintances. It didn't matter how many times I told him that I wasn't interested in her, all he saw was me taking the one thing he wanted. It became a battle after that, he wanted everything I had." Eric turned a worried expression on her. "Everyone, the bastard has already tried to get Pam on his side, but she's too loyal of a friend to be taken in by him. Victor knows of you now, he's already made threats."

Sookie stopped him before he could continue. "That's not even an issue, Eric. I don't care what Victor does, he's not getting me. I'm yours, and I'm going to stay that way."

He smiled sadly. "I have no doubts, but when Victor doesn't get what he wants…" Eric's voice trailed off, taking in another deep breath. "He's not a very stable man, sweetheart. There's no telling what he might do."

"Have you tried calling the police?" she wondered.

"Yes, but I don't have much proof that he's responsible for any of the difficulty I've been having lately. I do know someone on the force, he's been paying close attention to Victor, but the weasel is very good at not being caught."

She took his hand again. "He'll screw up eventually, no one is _that_ good. I have every faith in you."

He smiled, kissing her lips tenderly. Eric didn't know what he did to deserve this woman, but he would do whatever he could to keep her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"I have a peace offering," Amelia told Sookie after she arrived at work. "I feel so bad about our argument yesterday; I didn't mean to say the things I did. To make up for it, I'm going to let you give my 215 a sponge bath."

She smiled at the strange, yet thoughtful gift. Tray Dawson occupied that room; he'd been a patient for the last couple of weeks, recovering from a bad car accident. Sookie knew that Amelia had a huge crush on him, so this was definitely a sacrifice on her part. "That's sweet, but I could never take that from you. We're okay; you don't have to feel guilty. I like that we have the kind of friendship that's built on honesty. Sometimes we say things we don't mean, but that doesn't mean it's not true. You just need to understand that I'm not a child. I'm more than capable of making my own decisions."

Amelia nodded, giving her friend a quick hug. "You're the best, Sook, I better get going now. We'll talk later," she finished in a rush, before taking off down the hall.

Sookie shook her head in amusement, and then went to clock in for the day.

* * *

"How's my favorite patient doing?"

The man smiled up at her. "I bet you say that to all your patients."

Sookie returned his smile, feeling his forehead. "You're a bit warm, Alcide, have you been taking your medication? I don't have to feed it to you in applesauce, do I?"

He shook his head, laughing at just the thought of that. "I'm perfectly capable of swallowing a few pills. I just might have forgotten once or twice."

"Well, that's one too many. I'll have Dr. Merlotte check up on you in a little while. You should get some rest, and take those pills," she said sternly.

Alcide spoke up before she could take off. "Do you ever date patients, Miss Stackhouse?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I never have before. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "I was just wondering if you might consider going out with me. When I'm finally released from my prison, of course."

Sookie gave him a saddened smile. Alcide knew that his condition was pretty serious, and most likely wouldn't be leaving the hospital any time soon, but he always put on a brave face. "I have a boyfriend," was her only response.

"Yeah, I figured that, but it couldn't hurt to try. He's one lucky man."

Sookie stepped over to him, pressing her lips to his forehead. "Get some rest," she told him again, about to make her leave, when his soft voice stopped her.

"Goodbye, Sookie."

She felt choked up at the expression in his eyes, having a really bad feeling that he didn't mean goodbye for now. With a nod, she turned and left the room.

* * *

"I wish I could do more for him."

Sam gave her a concerned look. "You're doing more than enough, cher. When Alcide first came to us, he was bitter, jaded, you've brought a light back in his eyes. I know he appreciates everything that you've done for him."

"It just still doesn't feel like enough," she responded.

He shook his head. "You always do this, Sook, it's not healthy. I don't want you to blame yourself. You've given these patients far more than anyone else would, and that's all anybody can ask for. Don't be so hard on yourself, okay? You've done all that you can, it's up to the fates now."

Sookie didn't put much trust in fate, but she decided there was no sense in arguing with Sam.

* * *

"God, that feels so good. It felt like this day would never end."

Eric chuckled as he continued to rub her shoulders. "I can tell. You are very tense. What is bothering you, dear one?"

Sookie let out a breath, turning around in his arms. "I have this patient. He's a good man, always has a smile on his face, but he's dying, and I don't think there's much else we can do for him. He actually asked me out today."

Eric raised his eyebrows. "Dying or not, I can't say I much care for that."

"I know he doesn't mean anything by it. That's just his way of feeling normal, pretending like nothing is wrong. It's gotten so bad that even I'm starting to pretend, but the bottom line is that he probably doesn't have much longer. I hate this part of my job. This is why I try not to get attached to my patients, but sometimes they just make it so hard. There was a little girl last year, Tara, she had leukemia. I loved her like my own daughter, but she was only with us for two months before she passed. Apparently, her parents waited too long to get her treatment for the disease. I cried for a whole week after that. I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to work in the medical field, but that doesn't make it any easier. We've all lost patients, but it seems to affect me more than anyone else. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this."

Eric held her tighter, forcing her to look up at him. "You are a beautiful, amazing woman. These people are lucky to have known you in their last few moments, and I know they're grateful for everything you've done to help them. You can't save everyone, Sookie, it's just not possible. You're there for them when they need someone most, and that's the only thing that matters. With all the lives you've lost, there are hundreds more that you have saved."

Sookie wiped her eyes, not even realizing that she was crying. "Now you sound like Sam, you guys make me out to be a hero or something. I'm just a nurse. The doctors are the real heroes."

He shook his head, touching his lips to hers in a soft caress. "No, love, you are the ones who truly learn about the patients, who are always there for them in their time of need. Nurses are more important than anyone gives them credit for. Never forget that."

She nodded, capturing his mouth in a more passionate embrace. There would be no going back now. Tonight was the night that Sookie would finally take their relationship to the next level. She was done waiting.


	7. Chapter 7

**I think it's safe to say that I'm horrible at sex scenes, and I really hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. I apologize again for the shortness of it. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed so far, it's much appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Sookie didn't know how they made it to his room, but she vaguely remembered being picked up and lowered down on the bed, a half naked man lying on top of her, kissing her senseless.

Eric pulled away, brushing the hair out of her face. "Are you certain this is what you want? There is no hurry. I would wait forever if I had to."

She felt choked up, wondering where this man had been her whole life. "Forever is highly overrated. Trust me, I won't have any regrets."

Eric kissed her again, putting all of his feelings behind the gesture. "You are wearing far too many clothes," he whispered in her ear.

Sookie shivered, smiling as she got up and turned to look at him, all shirtless and spread out on his king sized bed. He looked flawless, licking her lips as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse, taking it off leisurely and revealing her lace bra to his gaze, then doing the same with her pants, so she was soon in nothing but her underwear. Her hair was up in a ponytail from work, which she quickly unconfined and shook her blonde locks out, so they fanned her face perfectly. Sookie crawled over to Eric like a woman on the prowl, but he would have none of it. She squealed when he grabbed her around the waist, smashing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, his hands running through her hair.

"You will be the death of me," Eric claimed once he released her, only to attack her neck, which she arched to give him better access.

Sookie moaned, shutting her eyes in pure bliss. She didn't even care to show up at the hospital with a hickey, it would be more than worth it. While he was preoccupied with marking her, she made herself useful by lowering the zipper on his jeans, jumping back when his hard on sprung out, not expecting him to go commando, but couldn't really be all that surprised by it. Her eyes widened at his impressive size, suddenly feeling very nervous.

He cupped her cheek, bringing her gaze back on his. "Don't be frightened, it will fit just fine."

She blushed, figuring he would know exactly what was on her mind. "It's just been a while."

Eric smiled. "We'll take things slow."

Sookie soon found their positions reversed as Eric now rested on top of her, lowering her bra strap and kissing her shoulder, soon removing the undergarment entirely, and then did the same with her panties. She had a feeling going slow would be utterly torturous, but really wanted this to last. She helped him divest of his jeans, gulping at the fact they were both now wholly naked. "Oh, condoms, I completely forgot about that. I don't have any on me," she blurted out, heat kissing her cheeks.

He chuckled. "Do not worry, lover, I'm always prepared."

That definitely didn't surprise her. This man must be stocked when it came to protection, but she didn't want to think about all of the other women he must have brought back to his house. He was with her now, and that was the only thing that mattered.

Eric headed over to his dresser, taking a condom out of the top drawer. He quickly ripped through the wrapper, and then slowly slid the rubber onto his manhood, moving back to her side. "I told you there was nothing to worry about."

Sookie was expecting him to impale her right there, but it looked like he had other plans, and soon found a tongue invading her sensitive folds. "Holy fuck!" she yelled, throwing her head back in ecstasy.

He leered up at her. "Such language, Miss Stackhouse, I didn't know you had it in you."

She would have thought of a retort to say, but was finding speech to be very difficult at the moment.

Eric licked up every drop that gushed out of her core, satisfied by the outcome. "You taste absolutely delicious."

"I never knew anything could feel that good," she panted. Bill wasn't very big on oral sex, unless she was the one giving it, but he would hardly ever return the favor.

Eric was pleased, pushing a long finger inside of her, followed by two more, feeling how drenched she was for him already. When she came all over his fingers, he replaced them with his tongue once again.

Sookie gasped, gazing up at the ceiling as she held on to the bedpost. "You're really good at that."

He moved up her body, positioning his shaft at her opening. "Are you ready for me, Sookie?"

She nodded adamantly, no words were necessary.

Eric pushed slowly into her welcoming center, giving her a chance to adjust to his size. When he felt that she was ready for more, he buried himself fully inside.

Sookie cried out, but more from pleasure than pain. She gripped his shoulders tightly, possibly digging her nails in too hard, but he didn't seem to mind. She met his every thrust, grabbing his head and crashing her mouth to his, slipping her tongue inside. Sookie could taste her juices on his lips, but it didn't repulse her like she thought it would. She didn't know who came first, but they both found themselves bursting with sudden gratification, riding out their orgasms together.

Once they came down from their high, Eric moved off of her body to dispose of the condom, and then settled back in bed, pulling her closer to his side.

They were like that for what seemed like forever, Sookie breaking the silence a moment later.

"That was amazing," she whispered, still trying to catch her breath.

Eric smiled, gazing down at her affectionately. "You took the words right out of my mouth, lover."

Sookie pressed her lips to his chest, snuggling up to him and feeling her eyes start to get heavy.

He noticed this, kissing her forehead tenderly. "Get some sleep, dear one, I'll watch over you."

It was as if he was her own personal guardian angel, and with that thought in mind, Sookie drifted off to a peaceful slumber.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Sookie had a perfect day off. She woke up nestled at Eric's side, beyond relieved to still find him there. Her first time with Bill, she woke up alone the next day. The rest of the time went by smoothly. They had excellent morning sex, he made her breakfast, which he served to her in bed, and they spent practically forever talking about their lives. After that, he made them a picnic lunch and drove her to the park, where they ate and just enjoyed each other's company. It was wonderful, and if Sookie let herself, she could fall for this man so easily, if she hadn't already. Saying goodbye to him was the hardest thing Sookie ever had to do, but knew that she would be seeing him again.

After a very comfortable weekend, Sookie entered the hospital with a smile on her face, which quickly faded at the sight of her friend. Amelia was normally very cheery, so seeing her with a frown made Sookie worried. "What's going on?"

Amelia gave the blonde a smile, but anyone who knew her could tell it was forced. "How was your long weekend?"

Sookie knew a stall when she saw one. "Amelia, what happened?"

The brunette took a deep breath, leading Sookie over to Alcide's room, which was currently empty.

Sookie immediately knew why, tears clouding her vision as she shook her head adamantly. "No," she whispered, turning to her concerned friend. "I just saw him three days ago, and he was fine. He was joking and hitting on me, just like he always does. He was fine."

"His sister visited after you left, they got into a heated argument. The next thing I know, she was signing papers to take him off life support when the time was right, but he didn't want to wait. My guess that's what the fight was about. Alcide was ready to go, but she didn't want to let him. He knew there was no chance of him getting better. I'm sorry, Sook, I would have called you, but I didn't want to bother you on your day off. There's nothing you could have done, anyway. Alcide always put on a brave face, but he was miserable here, anyone could see that."

Sookie nodded, no matter how many times this happened, she would never get used to it. "I have to clock in now," she said in a distant voice, then walked away to do just that.

* * *

She dragged herself the rest of the day, really wishing that it would just end. All Sookie wanted to do right now was to have a nice soak, and then go straight to bed.

"You should get home, Sookie, you're exhausted."

She shook her head. "I still have two more hours left in my shift."

Sam gave her a pat on the back. "I'm letting you go home early; it's been a long day. You'll be no good to anyone if you pass out. Have you eaten anything?"

Sookie thought about it. "I don't remember."

He nodded, letting out a sigh. "That's what I thought. Go home, eat, and get some sleep. That's not up for debate."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you, I'll be better tomorrow. I promise."

"I have no doubts," Sam said, returning her smile. He watched her head in the other direction, praying that she would get through this.

* * *

Everything that happened earlier that day finally caught up to Sookie once she got home. The second she entered the apartment, she burst into tears and fell to the floor, crying for a beautiful man that the world would never see again. He was so young, only a year older than her. It just wasn't fair.

She vaguely remembered hearing the phone ring in the distance, not able to control her sobs as she answered, knowing who was on the other end. When Eric heard how distraught she was, he dropped everything to be there for her. It wasn't long before she felt his strong arms surround her, burying her face against his chest. He whispered soothing words in her ear, but she could hardly make any of them out. If this was the outcome every time she lost a patient, Sookie didn't know how much more she could take.

* * *

Almost a week went by, and things were slowly getting back to normal. Sookie had a job to do, and no matter how hard things got, she would keep it up. There were plenty of other patients who counted on her, and she couldn't let them down. With that thought in mind, she strolled through the hospital corridors, determination set on her features, but when she saw who was standing next to Sam, everything faded around her.

No, this couldn't be happening now. He turned as if he could read her mind, gracing her with a bright smile.

"Sookie? Wow, you look great." He gave her a hug, not even realizing that she didn't respond to it. "How have you been?"

She broke out of her stupor long enough to answer him. "Good, considering, what are you doing here, Bill? You're not coming back, are you?" If there was a God, he would not let Bill Compton return to her hospital. That was the last thing Sookie needed.

"It's only temporary. A few of my patients from Shreveport were relocated here, so I transferred for the time being. My hospital was filling up, and there's plenty of room at this one. I talked with Sam beforehand to make sure it was okay," Bill explained.

Sookie gave Sam a look, who was avoiding her gaze, but he couldn't hide his guilty expression.

"This isn't a bother, is it?"

She focused back on her ex-boyfriend, giving him a smile to show just how not bothered she was by this new arrangement. "Of course not, the more the merrier. It's great to have you back."

Bill seemed pleased by her answer, but she wasn't finished.

"And Sam? We will be having a chat later."

He gulped at the expression in her eyes, nodding after a moment. That was one conversation he would not be looking forward to.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Sam told me about your patient, sorry to hear that. It's hard when we can't save them."

Sookie agreed. With Bill being a doctor, he would know that more than anyone. "So, where's Lorena?" she asked to change the subject. "I can't imagine that she'd be happy about you being here."

Bill rubbed his neck, thinking of what to say. "We're not together anymore. She met someone else."

Sookie wanted to laugh at the situation, but could imagine her grandmother giving her a stern lecture at just the thought of it. "Really? Don't you just hate when that happens?" It wasn't laughter, but she could hardly be expected to be very polite to him. This was the man who broke her heart, after all.

"I guess I deserve that," he responded, taking in a deep breath. "One reason of why I'm here is to apologize for what happened with us; I never meant to hurt you. I made a mistake when I decided to take up with her again. I should have remembered why we didn't work out in the first place. Can you ever forgive me, Sookie? I want to make up for what I did. Perhaps take you out to dinner tomorrow night? We can start back where we left off."

Okay, that time she did laugh. "Are you serious? What you did was unforgivable, Bill Compton. A lot has happened these last couple of years, and there's no chance we can ever go back to the way things were. I have completely moved on."

He nodded. "Sam mentioned something about you having a man in your life now. I'm not asking for much, could we at least try and be friends?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't even trust you enough for that. We'll be civil with one another since we're working together, but all we'll ever have is a professional relationship. You either take it or leave it."

Bill could see so many changes in the woman before him. She was no longer the girl he used to know, and supposed he was the one to blame for that. "I can accept that. It's more than I thought I would get."

"Good, glad we're clear on that. I better get back to work."

"Do you love him?" he asked her before she could leave.

Sookie turned back to him. "I don't see how that's any of your business. I care for him deeply, and that's all you need to know."

Bill let her walk away that time, deciding that returning to this hospital was a really bad idea.

* * *

"How could you not tell me about this? Don't you think I had a right to know?"

Sam ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. "I wanted to tell you, but you've been dealing with a lot lately. I didn't want to make things worse."

Sookie raised her eyebrows. "And you thought me showing up at work to find him here would be better than me being warned in advance?"

"You're right; I didn't really think that far ahead. He's working in a different department; I figured you wouldn't even cross paths that often."

She glared at him. "If I didn't have a patient right now, I would so yell at you some more, but I'm a lady and this isn't the place for that. We can talk about it later."

Sam sighed in relief when she made her way down the hall. He loved Sookie dearly, but sometimes, she could be pretty damn scary.

* * *

Sookie didn't think anything could possibly make her day better. That was until she entered her patient's room, only to find Eric standing inside, a rose in his hand.

"What are you doing here?"

He slipped the flower in her pocket, placing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm on my lunch break, but I had an urge to see how you were doing. I tried calling, but it's not always easy to get through. This lovely lady was kind enough to let me wait for you in here."

Sookie walked over to her patient, checking her chart and making sure she had plenty of fluids.

"Is that your man, dear? He's so handsome, you hold on to him."

She smiled at the elderly woman. "I'll keep that in mind, Mrs. Bellefleur, but you should be resting."

Her hand grasped Sookie's before she could move away. "You be sure to keep me updated when you get married, you hear?"

A blush tinted her cheeks, afraid to see Eric's reaction to the woman's statement, but he only graced her with a soft smile. Before anything more embarrassing could be said, Sookie ushered him out of the room. "When is your break over?"

Eric glanced down at his watch. "I only have ten more minutes. I suppose I should be getting back now. I was worried for you after the last time we saw each other, I haven't spoken to you since. I wanted to make sure you were doing all right."

She was touched at the sweet gesture. "Thank you, it means a lot that you came here. I just wish we could have had more time."

He cupped her cheek, touching his lips to hers tenderly. "We have all the time in the world."

Sookie didn't know why, but felt that she had to tell Eric about Bill's sudden reappearance in her life, not sure how he would take it. "Eric, there's something I need to tell you," she started, only to be cut off by the man in question.

"There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." Bill stopped when he saw that she wasn't alone, wondering why this man looked so familiar to him.

Sookie let out the breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "I guess now's as good a time as any. Bill Compton, I would like for you to meet my boyfriend…"

"Eric Northman," he said, cutting her off again. "Now I know where I've seen you before. You own that bar Valhalla, right?"

He was not prepared to meet Sookie's ex, the one who caused her so much pain, nor was he prepared for the man to know who he was. "Yes, you would be correct."

Bill nodded. "I've been there a few times. Pretty hectic place, isn't it? Not for a woman such as Sookie. You haven't actually been there, have you?" he asked her.

"And what if I have?" she retorted. "I'm an adult, and I can go to a bar if I damn well feel like it. What did I tell you about our relationship being strictly professional? You have no right to make any judgments in my life."

He held his hands up in surrender. "I was just curious. I'll leave you two alone now. When you're done, Sam wanted to see you."

Sookie kept her temper in check once Bill left them, focusing back on Eric, who was being way too quiet for her liking. "I was about to tell you about him being here. Bill had to transfer temporarily, but I'm sure he'll be gone in a few weeks or so. I didn't want you to find out like that."

Eric gave her a smile, shaking his head. "It's fine, Sookie, I could just imagine how hard it must be for you. If he gives you any problems, don't hesitate to call me."

"You don't have to worry about me, I can handle Bill. I'm not the same naïve girl I used to be."

Eric believed that to be true, but when a former lover suddenly appeared back in your life, it had a tendency to make you act even less like yourself. Sookie was a strong woman, and he knew she was more than capable of dealing with her ex-boyfriend on her own, but no matter what happened, he would always want to protect her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"You're actually dating that guy? He doesn't seem your type."

Sookie rolled her eyes, having a feeling that Bill would not let it go. "You were my type, and look where that got me. Eric makes me happy, if you were any kind of friend, you would be supportive right now."

He nodded. "I want to, God knows you need someone decent in your life, but what do you really know about him? I've been to his bar; I know the kind of people he hangs around with. You'll just end up getting hurt, Sookie. A man like that is surrounded by all kinds of beautiful women; I'm just looking out for you."

"And I told you that wasn't your job anymore; you gave up your right to have any say in my life when you chose to be with her. Just because you now realized that was a mistake doesn't change anything. Look, I don't think us being in the same hospital is going to work. You just stay on your floor, and I'll stay on mine. I don't need you coming down here and telling me what to do. It took me a long while to finally move on after you left, you being here is just making me remember a time I've tried so hard to forget. I won't go through that again. My relationship is not your concern, and neither am I. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an elsewhere to be."

Bill once again watched her walk away, a saddened expression on his face, but knowing he got precisely what he deserved.

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Amelia jerked away from Tray, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I was just making sure he was breathing right."

Sookie grabbed her friend by the arm, pulling her away from the man she was mauling. "You can't be making out with patients when you're on the clock. Hell, you shouldn't be doing that at all. What if one of the doctors found you instead of me, or Lafayette? You know how he loves good gossip. It's just not right, Ames. If you want to be with him, I won't stop you, but at least wait until he's released first. Sam said he should be good to go in a few more days."

She pouted. "I know, and I told myself that, but he's just so cute. You know how weak I am."

For the most part, Amelia was a pretty strong woman, but not when it came to men. "I'm aware of that, but just try harder. You could be injuring him more and not even know it."

That had Amelia nodding in agreement, not wanting to do anything further to hurt her patient. Tray was coming to mean a lot to her, seeing how well things were going with Sookie and Eric; she really hoped to find that with him one day. After her last boyfriend, Bob, took off to join the circus, Amelia didn't have a lot of luck in the love department.

* * *

Sookie finally left the hospital at two in the morning and couldn't wait to get home to her nice, comfy bed, but it seemed the fates had different plans for her. Before she knew it, Sookie was grabbed from behind and shoved into a black van, which quickly sped out of the parking lot. She struggled and kicked out with her legs, but her captor was too strong.

"I wouldn't do that; we won't keep you very long. I just wish to talk."

She glared at the man across from her, recognizing him immediately. "What the hell do you want with me?"

Victor shook his finger at her. "Such manners, Miss Stackhouse, I think you were raised better than that. Besides, it's not you that I want, but you would make a fine consolation prize." He trailed his hand up her thigh, but Sookie instantly smacked it away.

"Eric told me all about you, Mr. Madden. I don't know what you hoped to accomplish with this little stunt, but it won't work. Touch me again, and you're bound to lose a finger."

He chuckled. "Oh, you are feisty, now I know what Northman sees in you. Right to the point, then, I'm willing to make you an offer that I guarantee you can't refuse. Your beloved Eric has taken everything from me, and he did nothing to earn it. Since the day that bastard was born, he's been nothing but a nuisance. His parents were rich; he grew up having everything offered to him on a silver platter, and not once did he have to work for it. Money, companies, women, they all flaunted to him," Victor spat, clearing his throat. "Felicia was supposed to be with me, but since his rejection of her, she's wanted nothing to do with me and it's all Northman's fault. Now, he's taken the one business I wanted more than anything else. He knew of my plans to buy Valhalla, and he didn't hesitate to steal that away from me as well. I see how much you mean to him, and I bet he would be willing to give up a lot for you. A mere seduction wouldn't work, I see you're not the type to fall for that, but this is what you're going to do. You are going to end things with him, break his cold heart and let him know exactly how it feels to have the one thing you love above all else want nothing to do with you. I will pay you, of course, any amount you want."

Sookie gasped, shaking her head. "No, you can't make me do that. I won't hurt him, not for all the money in the world. Eric has every right to own Valhalla, it means a great deal to him. You can't blame him for everything that's gone wrong in your life. You're just taking it out on him because you're not man enough to take responsibility yourself."

Victor nodded. "I figured you might react this way. You don't seem the sort to care much about money. I suppose there's nothing more I can do."

The van suddenly stopped, and Sookie gazed out the dark window to see that they were at her apartment. She didn't even want to know how they knew where she lived. The door opened and she was pushed out of it, falling on her rear as she looked up at the angry face of Victor Madden.

"It was nice chatting with you, Miss Stackhouse. I'm sure we'll meet again very soon."

Sookie stood up as the van sped off down her street, wondering about the last thing he said and feeling an overwhelming sense of fear.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Sookie didn't know if it was a mistake to tell Eric about her meeting with Victor, but now was realizing that it wasn't the best idea. She had never seen him so angry before, and was just glad that it wasn't directed at her.

"I'm going to rip his fucking head off!"

She stood, trying to calm him down. "Violence never solves anything, Eric. It's done now. He was probably only trying to scare me."

Eric tried to control his temper, taking in a deep breath as he gazed at her in concern. "And you promise me that you are not hurt? If he touched you at all…"

Sookie shook her head, cutting him off. "I'm completely untouched, I promise you that." She figured it was best not to mention the groping of her thigh, that would only get him worked up all over again.

"How much was he willing to offer you?"

She shrugged, confused by why he wanted to know that. "He didn't say, just that it would be any amount I wanted, but I obviously wasn't going to take his offer. The man is insane, Eric. I want nothing to do with him; it's you I'm worried about. Victor seems like he'll go to any lengths to get what he wants, and right now that's you out of the picture. He made it very clear that he didn't want me."

Eric nodded, relieved for that. Her life was much more important than his. "Do not worry about me, lover, I can handle Madden. I just need something to take my mind off of this or I'm likely to go after him, and I know that wouldn't do any good at the moment."

"No, it wouldn't, but I can help with the distraction." She kissed him, pushing him back towards his room while she was at it, which was definitely not easy.

He fell to his bed, grinning up at her. "What do you wish to do with me?"

Sookie returned his grin. "Oh, so many things, but this is all about you. Just lay there and let me tend to you."

Eric had no complaints with that, gasping when she lowered the zipper of his jeans, his cock jutting out from the restraints. He noticed her blush, and it was absolutely charming to him.

"I forgot that you go commando."

He chuckled. "Undergarments only get in the way, this is much faster."

Sookie had to agree, taking in a deep breath as she stroked his manhood. He was already rock hard for her. "I don't know if I'm good at this, so you might have to help me along."

Eric took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze, and placing it back around his penis. "You are doing perfectly fine, lover. Nothing we do in here could ever be wrong."

That gave her more courage as she kept up her strokes, collecting the pre-cum that leaked out of his tip, and smoothing it along his length. She was relieved by the sounds of his satisfied moans and decided to take things to the next level. She lowered her head, taking his cock in her mouth and lightly sucking on it.

"Fuck, Sookie, you're so wonderful. Yes, love, just like that."

She blushed at his praise, but continued what she was doing. Sookie wasn't able to fit his entire length down her throat, but what she couldn't fit, she decided to use her hands on. She sucked and stroked, feeling that he was close, which was confirmed the second he came in her mouth. This was new for her, but she drank him all down, not letting any of it go to waste. Sookie released his dick with a plop, smiling down at him. "Did you like that?"

His answer was to grab her around the waist, rip her clothing off, and penetrate her pussy in one quick plunge.

She threw her head back, bouncing up and down on him. Sookie went on the pill after their first time together, since she knew he had a habit of forgetting a condom. She loved the feel of nothing between them.

Eric rubbed her sides, thrusting up into her slick folds, using his thumb to massage her clit and bring her even closer to orgasm.

Sookie came hard then, Eric following right behind her. She rested against his chest, trying to catch her breath. "I'll take that as a yes."

He brushed the hair away from her face, tilting her head up to look at him. Eric touched his lips to hers in a tender caress, rubbing their noses together. "Jag älskar dig," he whispered.

That wasn't the first time he spoke Swedish to her, and she never got tired of hearing it. Sookie only wished that she could understand the language. "What does that mean?"

Eric smiled, kissing her once again. "I love you."

She smiled as well. "Really?"

"Yes, you shouldn't be so surprised."

Sookie shook her head. "I'm not, I mean, it is still really soon. We've only been together for a few months."

"I think I knew after our first date," he explained, caressing her shoulder. "I would have probably told you then if I didn't think it would scare you off."

"Not scared, definitely not scared. And in case you didn't know, I love you, too. I should have said that first."

Eric kissed her temple, and then moved back to her lips. No more words needed to be said.

* * *

"Wow, I just realized how very domestic this is."

He grinned, taking notice of them around the breakfast table, a newspaper in his hand. Eric suddenly had a vision of a little blonde girl running into the kitchen, crystal blue eyes staring up at him in wonder. He shook that thought away. As magnificent as it would be to have children with Sookie, now was not the time to be thinking about it. They only just said 'I love you' for the first time, there was no rush for anything else. They had all the time in the world. Right now, he had to deal with Victor Madden. As long as that bastard was still out there, he would never stop worrying about Sookie's safety. It didn't matter what she told him. Madden made one very big mistake when he decided to go after her and now, all bets were off.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It had been nearly a week since she last saw Eric, and Sookie was really starting to get worried. Every time she called the bar, Pam would answer and just give her some excuse of why he couldn't come to the phone. She was tempted to just go down there herself, and that was exactly what she planned on doing, but chaos erupted at the hospital before she could make her leave. Sookie moved back as a stretcher was pushed through the big double doors, two more following after it, wondering what was going on. It looked like there was some kind of accident, but Sam pulled her away before she could see anything else.

"Sookie, we have a situation here. It's Valhalla, that's Eric's place, right?"

A cold panic took over her body. "Yes, what happened?"

Sam ran nervous fingers through his hair. "There was a shooting, several people were killed instantly, four were rushed here, but there's no mention yet if they're likely to survive or not."

"Oh, God," she gasped, a hand flying to her mouth, removing it a second later to ask the question she dreaded. "Where's Eric? I haven't seen him in days. I knew something was wrong, I could feel it. Where is he, Sam?"

He shook his head. "I haven't seen any sign of him. Maybe there's a chance he wasn't there tonight."

Sookie knew that wasn't possible. "No, Friday's are pretty busy, he's always there. Have you heard anything from Pam?"

As if she heard her name being called, a tall blonde quickly made her way over to them.

Sookie sighed in relief at the sight of her friend, giving the woman a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Pam pulled out of the embrace. "I was in the storage room when I heard the gunshots. I didn't come here alone, Sookie. I came in an ambulance. Eric wasn't as lucky."

The fear was back, it squeezed at her heart and wouldn't let go. Before she could respond, the doors once again burst open as another stretcher was shoved through, and laying there with a mask over his face was her boyfriend, blood soaking through his shirt. Sookie felt the tears when they ushered him down the hall, praying to anyone who would listen that he make it through this.

* * *

"I stopped the bleeding as much as I could, and we got the bullet out. One more inch to the left and we probably would have lost him, but he's stable right now. He could be out for a while, there's no telling how long."

Sookie nodded, just barely hearing Sam's words. All she could make out was that Eric almost died, and if that happened, Sookie didn't know what she would have done. "He's gonna be okay?"

Sam nodded. "It's too soon to tell, but he should make a full recovery. As for the others, it seems that Eric's the only one who made it. He's a fighter."

Sookie knew that better than anyone. "Do you know who the victims were?"

"Debbie Pelt and Crystal Norris, did you know them?"

She shook her head.

"My guess is they were just some poor customers who got caught in the crossfire, at the wrong place and wrong time," Sam explained. "The others were John Quinn, he was a bartender, and Victor Madden…"

Sookie's head shot up at that, cutting off anything else Sam would have said. "Victor Madden? He's dead?"

He nodded again. "Died just a few minutes ago, a bullet lodged in his brain. I'm not even sure how he made it to the hospital. You knew him?"

"Victor was an enemy of Eric's; he's been after his business for a long time now. He's responsible for this, I just know it. The psycho would have done anything to make Eric look bad, this just stinks of him. It makes me sick to think of all the innocent people who died because of him."

Sam figured she would know more about the situation than he did, but the police would most likely tell them what really happened soon enough. "Well, he's gone now. If what you say is right, he won't be hurting anyone else again."

Sookie took in a deep breath to calm herself, moving over to Eric's bedside, taking one of his clammy hands in hers. "Is it okay if I sit with him for a while? I know I still have another hour in my shift…"

Sam cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Take all the time you need, Sook, don't worry about it."

She watched him leave the room, and then focused back on her injured boyfriend. "Hey, baby, it's me. I'm going to be by your side until you wake up, okay? I'll be the first face you see. I'm so sorry this happened, Eric, you didn't deserve it." Sookie picked his hand up, kissing his knuckles gently. She glanced at his face, seeing the bruises and cuts that marred his perfect flesh. It looked like there was a fight before the actual shooting, and wondered if that's why he hadn't returned any of her calls, but she would deal with that after he woke up. "I've lost a lot of patients, but I can't handle losing you," she whispered, tears clouding her vision. "You have to come back to me, love. I need you." She spent the next half an hour talking to him, hoping that it would jar him to consciousness, but there was no such luck. Sookie dozed off when she could no longer keep her eyes open, her hand still tightly clutching his.

* * *

"_Mommy, tell me the story of how you and Daddy met?"_

_Sookie looked at her daughter's innocent face. "Aren't you tired of that story yet? You probably know it by heart."_

_She shook her head. "It's my favorite."_

"_Same here," Sookie responded, getting comfortable on the couch as she relived one of her happiest memories._

_Eric smiled in fondness as he gazed at the two most important women in his life. "I think she finally fell asleep."_

_Sookie picked the little girl up, carrying her to her bedroom and gently placing her in bed, pulling the blanket over her small frame. She moved back to Eric's side, content when he wrapped his strong arms around her. _

"_I'll always be here for the both of you," Eric whispered. "You are my world now."_

_

* * *

_

Sookie awoke from her reverie, staring at her unconscious boyfriend. There was still no sign of life, but she knew in her heart that Eric would come back to her. As Sam said, he was a fighter, and there was nothing that could keep him away for too long. One way or another, she would make that dream a reality.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"How's he doing?"

Sookie looked up to see Bill standing there. "It's been a week and he's still in the same position. What do you think?" She noticed his hurt expression and felt guilty. "I'm sorry, that wasn't fair. I just hate this. Eric is usually so full of life; I can't stand to see him like this. It breaks my heart." She wiped at her eyes when more tears fell, hoping they would have stopped by now.

Bill nodded. "You love him, I can understand that. He'll be fine, Sookie. I'm not trying to give you false hope; I really believe he'll pull through."

She smiled now. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"Dr. Compton, you're wanted in room 402," Amelia stated, rolling her eyes when Bill made his leave. "I hate having to call him that. So, how's our patient?" she wondered, checking his stats to make sure everything was going well.

"No change, I just wish he would open his eyes. I'm really starting to get worried, Ames. What if he never wakes up?"

Amelia shook her head. "You can't think like that, Sook. Have you found out anything about what happened at Valhalla?"

"No more than what everyone else knows. The place was raided and people were killed, they're not giving out any details. They just think it was a random attack. All Pam said is that she came out of the storage room to find Eric on the floor, and Victor right beside him. They were both unconscious and bleeding, but I just know Victor started all of this. Eric is the only one who can tell us what really happened, he just needs to wake up. Look, can you stay with him for a bit? I know you're on break now, but I just need some fresh air before I completely lose it."

"Sure, don't worry about it. You've been cooped up in this room long enough. I'll let you know if anything changes," Amelia explained.

Sookie gave her friend a gratified smile, and after pressing a quick kiss to Eric's forehead, she headed out of the room, not stopping until she made it to the exit of the hospital. She leaned back against a brick wall, taking in a breath to try and calm herself. She shut her eyes, it felt like a lifetime that she stood there, opening her eyes back up to see a woman head in her direction, looking a bit anxious, but letting a friendly smile grace her lips. Sookie had never seen her before, but the lady spoke before she had a chance to.

"Are you Sookie Stackhouse?"

She nodded, not knowing what else to say, but again it looked like she didn't have to.

"I'm Felicia Hardwick, I knew Victor Madden. I was told that he died recently, and the news said that Eric Northman was severely injured. Your name was mentioned, and I remembered Victor talking about you. There are a few things you need to know."

Sookie was suddenly intrigued, finding herself face to face with the woman who Victor claimed to love. She remained silent, indicating that it was all right for her to speak her mind.

Felicia inhaled a deep breath before continuing. "I went to the police station once I made sure that Victor was really dead and wouldn't come after me, but I wanted to talk to you in person. Victor was crazy, he tracked me down at my place two days before the shooting, told me that he was going to get revenge on Eric. He said something about you, the new woman in his life, and how it wasn't fair that Eric should get to have you. He was drunk, I didn't take anything he said seriously, and I really regret that now. Maybe if I did, I could have prevented this from happening." She took in another breath, rambling was sometimes a nervous habit of hers, but wasn't about to stop until she got everything off her chest. "Anyway, I told Victor to leave and that I wanted nothing to do with him. If he came near me again, I would file a restraining order. That wasn't the first time he's caused problems for me. I'm married now, I have a little boy, and the last thing I needed was Victor Madden messing up my life again with his sadistic obsession. He took off after that, then I heard about the shooting and didn't know what to do. It shouldn't have taken me this long to come clean, but I was just scared. I couldn't put my family at risk, that's why I needed to know if he was really gone. I'm sorry to just dump all this on you, but I wanted you to know. Whatever happened that night, I know it was all because of him. Victor's always been a bit of a lunatic."

Sookie took everything she said in. Victor being responsible was not a shock to her, and she couldn't really blame the woman for not knowing what to do. She would have been the same way if put in that situation. "I appreciate you coming to me; it took a lot of courage."

Felicia sighed in relief. "Is Eric gonna be okay? I used to hold a grudge against him for rejecting me the way he did, but now I'm glad for it. If he didn't, I probably never would have met my husband, and I'm grateful for him every day."

Sookie gave a small smile. "He still hasn't woken up, but we're being optimistic about it. Would you like to see him?"

She shook her head. "That's fine; I should be getting home now. Thanks for being so understanding, now I know what Eric sees in you."

Sookie watched her go, once again beyond relieved that Victor Madden was no longer in the world. Her Gran would get on her case for thinking such thoughts, but that man was a monster, and everyone would be better off without him. She was about to head back inside, when Amelia came barreling out of the doors, nearly crashing into her in the process, excitement written all over her features.

"Eric's awake!"

With those words said, Sookie couldn't get into the hospital fast enough.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Sookie felt her eyes tear up when she entered Eric's room to find him sitting in bed, his color looking a lot better than it was before.

He turned to her, giving her a smile. "Hello, lover."

That was all it took for the sobs to burst forth, burying her head against his chest, and sighing in satisfaction when he rubbed her back. "You had me so worried."

"It will take more than a bullet to get rid of me."

She glanced up at him, wiping her eyes. "You've been out for a week. Sam wants you to stay with us for a couple more nights, just to be on the safe side. I called Pam; she was just as worried, even though she'd never admit it. She said the bar is being taken care of in your absence. What happened that night, Eric? I haven't heard from you in days, and then I hear that your place was shot at. Victor's dead now, but I need to know what really went down. It's been driving me crazy. I talked with Felicia, she came by before you woke up, and she told me that Victor planned to get revenge on you. I just can't believe someone could be so cruel as to kill innocent people. I can't say I'm not relieved that he's gone."

Eric took in a deep breath. "It was my fault. After you told me about Victor grabbing you, I went to confront him. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't let that go. There was a fight, some things were said, and I told him to stay away from you. It was a little after that when he stormed the bar with firearms. He shot at me, and I got a bullet in him before passing out. I provoked him, and if I never went after him in first place, it might not have happened."

Sookie shook her head. "You can't know that. Victor was sick and twisted, he probably would have done something like this eventually, whether you provoked him or not. You're not to blame for this, Eric. I'm just sorry that people had to die, but I'm so glad you weren't one of them. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you, we're still just getting to know each other."

"We will have all the time in the world soon, lover. I'm going to sign the bar over to Pam. I think it was time that I officially retired," Eric explained.

To say Sookie was shocked would be an understatement. "But it means everything to you, and Victor is gone now. He'll never bother us again."

He nodded. "I just feel that it's time to move on. Valhalla has taken over my entire being, and maybe if this was two years ago, I would have been all right with that, but you are my life now. That career choice was risky from the start, and it's not what I want anymore. I have more than enough income to live comfortably for quite some time, the bar was just a place I could escape to, but I no longer need it. Right now, you are all I need. I want to marry you some day, have a family, maybe a dog or cat. I never realized just how precarious my job was before. I will never be put in another position that could involve you being in harm's way. You are far more important to me, and as long as we still have each other, nothing else matters."

Sookie thought she was finally all cried out, but was wrong as they started up all over again. "I would just hate to be one of your regrets. What if things don't work out and you realize this isn't the life you want?"

Eric touched his lips softly to hers, shaking his head. "There will be no regrets. You are the best decision I have ever made."

There was definitely no stopping the tears that time. Sookie rested her head on his chest, content with the strong sound of his heartbeat. A throat being cleared in the doorway got her attention, looking up to see Lafayette standing there, a bucket in his hands, and a smirk on his face.

"Glad to have you back with us, Mr. Northman, but it's time for your sponge bath now."

Sookie rolled her eyes, taking the bucket from him. "I'll be doing that."

He pouted, glaring at her. "You take all the fun out of my job, girl."

She laughed as he walked away, focusing back on Eric, who had an amused expression on his features.

"Jag älskar dig," Eric said, kissing her again. It had been too long.

Sookie smiled, pushing the hair out of his face. "I love you, too."

* * *

"If I knew all it would take was you getting shot to finally give me the bar, I would have put a bullet in you years ago."

Eric knew Pam was only teasing, but that didn't mean he had to care for it. "That's very kind of you, Pamela."

"Hey, no jokes about shooting my boyfriend, missy. I never want to go through that again," Sookie told her.

Eric hugged her to his side, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He was released from the hospital one week ago, and fortunately was still able to walk. He would need crutches for a while, but luckily it would only be temporary. The doctor told him how close the bullet was to damaging his spine. It was a good thing Victor had such bad aim. After what Eric had to go through, he would be happy to never see this place again. Pam would be hiring contractors to fix it up; this was one time where he would let her call all the shots. The bar was no longer his responsibility, and it felt like a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders.

"Are you ready to go?"

He glanced down at Sookie, his beautiful girlfriend, and once again wondered how he got so lucky to have her, but he would count it as a blessing every day. "Yes, my love, we can go now."

**The End**

* * *

**I'm sure you guys weren't expecting this to end already, but I just ran out of ideas for it. Not much more to do now that Victor is dead; I felt this was a good enough place to stop. The muse never lets me do really long stories. It seems a lot of you thought I would make Eric have amnesia and that was what I originally planned on doing, but I wouldn't have known how to go about it. Since that apparently would have been too predictable, I'm glad that I didn't. I decided to give them some happiness instead, and they can both move on with their lives now. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, it was much appreciated!**


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